TENSES CHART
TIME EXPRESSIONS
TENSE FORM USE
Frequency Adverbs: always, never…
Simple Present A: He goes. • Habits and routines : I sometimes sing in the shower Time expressions: in the morning, at o’clock
N: He doesn’t • Facts: We like ice-cream
go How often…?
Q: Does he • Facts which are always true: Asturias is in the north of Spain
go?
• Planned future action set by a timetable or schedule: We leave London at
eight next Tuesday
• With stative verbs: like, love, hate, hear, believe…
Present A: He is at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now,
Continuous learning. • For an action happening now: I am learning English right now
N: He is not • Temporary actions: taking place only for a limited period of time. I’m
learning. this year, at present, today, these days
Q: Is he living with my sister until I find a flat
learning? • Actions happening around the time of speaking: I am reading a book by
next Friday/week/year , tomorrow
Isabel Allende
• action arranged for the near future: I’m meeting my sister tonight
Simple Past A: He went. yesterday, 3 days ago, in 1967, in the 1980s, in the
N: He did not • Actions completed in the past at a definite time, even when the time is 17th century, when, then, last Friday.
go. not given. Pasteur died in 1895
Q: Did he go ?
• Past habit: He always wore a black suit.
• Actions taking place one after another. He climbed the stairs and then
followed me.
• Action taking place in the middle of another action. I was having a
shower when the phone rang
Past Continuous A: He was Last night/week/year/ at 4 o’clock
singing. • action going on for some time at a certain time in the past. At 9 o’clock , when, while, as long as
N: He was not I was waiting for my son
singing.
Q: Was he • actions taking place at the same time joined by while or as: While I was
singing?
cooking, my husband was laying the table.
• action in the past that is interrupted by another action joined by when : I
was having a shower when the phone rang
Present Perfect A: He has How long…? For+ a period of time, since + a point in
Simple written. • When we put the emphasis on the result. The lift has broken down ( we time.
N: He hasn’t have to use the stairs)
written. In recent years , already, ever, just, never, yet, not
Q: Has he • An action that started in the past (we don’t say when ) and it has not yet, so far, till now, up to now, recently
written? finished or has just finished. I have just seen Mary. I have written three
letters this morning.
• finished action that has an influence on the present
• action that has taken place once, never or several times before the
moment of speaking. . I have been to London three times in my life.
Present Perfect A: He has been Same as above
Continuous teaching. • We put the emphasis on the duration (not the result). He has been
N: He hasn’t waiting for an hour and she still hasn’t turned up.
been teaching.
Q: Has he • With certain verbs the action can be expressed by either the present
been teaching? perfect simple or the continuous with no difference in meaning: learn, lie,
live, look, rain, sleep, sit, study,teach,work, wait…etc.
Past Perfect A: He had already, by the time, after, before, just, never, not
Simple spoken. • To talk about an action taking place before a certain time in the past. By yet, until that day
N: He hadn’t the time the police arrived , he had already left
spoken.
Q: Had he • The emphasis is put on the result
spoken?
Past Perfect A: He had for, since, the whole day, all day
• It is the continuous form of the Past perfect and sometimes
Continuous been talking. interchangeable with it
N: He hadn’t
been talking. • putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action. Compare: He
Q: Had he
had tried five times to get her on the phone/he had been trying to get her
been talking?
on the phone
Future Simple A: He will in an hour, next month,soon, tomorrow, in the future
come. • For an spontaneous decision. The phone is ringing~I’ll answer it!
N: He won’t • To predict based on what you think will happen in the future. I think probably, perhaps, possibly, surely
come.
Q: Will he Real Madrid will win the league.
come? • A planned schedule: the tour of the Old City will begin at 8.00
• Promises, threats,..etc
Future Simple A: He is going in one year, next week, tomorrow, in a few weeks,
to run. • A planned action for the near or remote future, an intention to do sth in on the 7th of June…
Be going to N: He is not the future. When I grow up I am going to be a doctor.
going to run.
Q: Is he going • A prediction based on present evidence. Be careful! You’re going to fall!
to run?
Future A: He will be At this time tomorrow, in one year, next week,
Continuous speaking. • To express an action that is going on at a certain time in the future: we’ll tomorrow
N: He won’t be be visiting London next week
speaking.
Q: Will he be
speaking?
Future Perfect A: He will have by Monday, by then, by that time, in a week
spoken. • To express an action that will be finished at a certain time in the future. It
N: He will not is normally used with a time expression beginning with by: By the end of
have spoken.
next week we will have finished all his exams.
Q: Will he have www.cristinacabal.com
spoken?
